Senecio plant named ‘Sunseneyona’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Senecio  plant named ‘Sunseneyona’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with ray florets that are dark red purple in color becoming gradually lighter in color towards the base.

Botanical designation: Senecio cruentus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSENEYONA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Senecioplant, botanically known as Senecio cruentus, and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Sunseneyona’.

The new Senecio plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new upright and uniformly moundingSenecio plants with a freely-branching habit and numerous attractiveinflorescences.

The new Senecio plant originated from a cross pollination conducted bythe Inventor in March, 2010 of a proprietary selection of Seneciocruentus identified as code number 09-123, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Senecio cruentusidentified as code number 09-83, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Senecio plant was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan in February, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Senecio plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceOctober, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Senecioplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Senecio have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunseneyona’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunseneyona’ as a new and distinct Senecioplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Daisy-type inflorescences with ray florets that are dark red        purple in color becoming gradually lighter in color towards the        base.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio have broader ray florets than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Senecio and the female parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent        selection have ray florets that are blue in color becoming        gradually lighter towards the base.

Plants of the new Senecio can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Senecio differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio have broader ray florets than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Senecio and the male parent selection        differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent        selection have violet and rose-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Senecio can also be compared to plants of Seneciocruentus×Senecio heritieri ‘Sunsenere’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.12,162. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Senecio differfrom plants of ‘Sunsenere’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Senecio have longer internodes than plants        of ‘Sunsenere’.    -   2. Plants of the new Senecio have smaller leaves with shorter        petioles than plants of ‘Sunsenere’.    -   3. Plants of the new Senecio have larger inflorescences than        plants of ‘Sunsenere’.    -   4. Plants of the new Senecio and ‘Sunsenere’ differ in ray        floret color as plants of ‘Sunsenere’ have more purple-colored        ray florets.    -   5. Ray floret apices of plants of the new Senecio are more        rounded than and not as acute as ray floret apices of plants of        ‘Sunsenere’.    -   6. Plants of the new Senecio have shorter peduncles than plants        of ‘Sunsenere’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Senecio plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Senecio plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunseneyona’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunseneyona’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown during the winter in 15-cm containers in anoutdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practicestypical of commercial Senecio production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 10° C. and night temperatures averaged5° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants. Plants were five months old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Senecio cruentus ‘Sunseneyona’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio            cruentus identified as code number 09-123, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Senecio            cruentus identified as code number 09-83, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at            temperatures about 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 18° C. to 20°            C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly mounded            plant habit; daisy-type inflorescences positioned above the            foliar plane; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit;            freely branching habit with about eight primary lateral            branches with numerous secondary branches.        -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 29 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About            3.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.3 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Upright to outwardly. Texture: Densely pubescent.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 5.6 cm. Width: About 6.3 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Shallowly serrate. Texture and            luster, upper surface: Sparsely pubescent; matte. Texture            and luster, lower surface: Densely pubescent; rough; matte.            Venation pattern: Pinnate; reticulate. Color: Developing            leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to 191B. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to N137C; venation, close to 145B. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A; venation,            close to 147C. Leaf petioles: Length: About 4.7 cm.            Diameter: About 2.3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescences with lanceolate-shaped            ray florets; inflorescences arising from upper leaf axils            and positioned above the foliar plane on strong peduncles;            disc and ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum;            inflorescences face mostly upright to slightly outwardly;            freely flowering habit with about 41 inflorescences per            plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Senecio begin            flowering about 22 weeks after planting; plants flower            continuously from winter to late spring in Japan.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two weeks            on the plant; inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About            8.5 mm. Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 59A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.1 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.3 cm.        -   Receptacles.—Diameter: About 6.7 mm. Height: About 1.5 mm.            Color: Close to 144C.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 8.3 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Aspect: Initially upright, then horizontal; flat. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray            florets per inflorescence: About 13 in a single whorl.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 61A. When            opening, lower surface: Longitudinally streaked with close            to 64A and 75D. Fully opened, upper surface: Towards the            apex, close to 71A; towards the base, close to 71C to 71D;            with development, distal color becoming closer to 70A and            proximal color becoming closer to N74C. Fully opened, lower            surface: Longitudinally streaked with close to 72B and 73D.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.            Length: About 8.1 mm. Diameter, at apex: About 2.5 mm.            Diameter, at base: About 1 mm. Number of disc floret per            inflorescence: About 114. Color, immature: Close to 59A.            Color, mature: Close to 71A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 13 in a single            whorl. Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Fused. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper surface: Close to 138A; towards the apex, close            to 138B. Color, lower surface: Close to 137C; towards the            apex, close to 138C; at the apex, close to N77A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Filament length: About 0.8 mm. Filament color: Close            to NN155C. Anther size: About 2.2 mm by 0.3 mm. Anther            shape: Narrowly ellipsoidal. Anther color: Close to 165A.            Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 15A.            Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil            length: About 5.8 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:            Close to 187A. Style color: Towards the apex, close to 59D;            mid-section, close to 182C; towards the base, close to 145D.            Ovary color: Close to 145D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Senecio.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Senecio have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Senecio    plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Senecio have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 30° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Senecio plant named ‘Sunseneyona’as illustrated and described.